This grape originated from the Bordeaux region. It was introduced to Chile in the 19th Century, along with other French varieties. It’s aroma in the case of varietal wines with little maturing time,reveals itself in light touches of fruits such as raspberries, ripe strawberries, dried fig and cherries. Scents such as green capsicum and pepper may also be found and other really special ones, like fresh mint and eucalyptus. When the wine is subjected to a longer preparation process to achieve Reserve status, the bouquet appears, adding the aromas contributed by the wood to the enormous range of aromas already described. While vanilla scents emerge, there are aromas of cooked fruit or preserves, plus another special one, smoke.

The flavor of the wines from this grape variety offers a wide and varied range, including plant tastes like vanilla, coffee, chocolate, menthol, blackberry, pepper and dried grass.

This variety originated in Burgundy region of France, with many variable subtypes. It has numerous synonyms, such as Pinoz, Pinot Fin and Petit Plant Doré. While it is typically grown in hot regions, in Chile, it has proven that it is possible to grow with excellent results in cold regions such as Casablanca Valley and areas around Mulchen.

It has a typical aroma of fruit and flowers, both very intense. They develop positively and delicately as they mature. Specific notes of raspberry and bitter cherry can be detected, and a general sensation of dried flowers.

On the palate the flavors are very varied, with notes of sherry, tobacco and a selection of fruits, with other lactic flavors which contrast with different types of jam, a wide range of herbal tastes and also cooked fruit.

This variety arrived in Chile in the mid 19th century. It essentially disappeared from France as a consequence of phylloxera outbreak. Interestingly, it was confused in Chile with the Merlot grape variety. It was not until 1994 that a French ampelographer (a specialists in grapes; ampelos from Greek = vine and graphos = description) Jean Michel Boursiquot, discovered the mistake. Today it is considered to be the emblematic Chilean variety, due to the fact that it is very scarce internationally and prolific in Chile.

As we have stated, it was confused with Merlot, but ampelographically speaking, it is quite different. Its leaves are orbicular, with five lobes and petiolar indentation with slightly overlapping edges. Its clusters are small, with a relatively loose structure. The grapes are spherical and blue-black in color.

It exists almost nowhere else in the world except for approximately 4,500 hectares in Italy and a few new plantations in China, but its virtue lies not only in its novelty.

It is a variety with absolutely original aroma characteristics, which are very persistent, compared to Merlot. There are outstanding, intense tones of sweet beetroot and rip strawberries, and interesting scents occur in the contact with the barrel. Toasted aromas of leather and vanilla are released, without losing it great fruitiness, good body and persistence. In the mouth, the feature highlighted by most tasters is a pleasant earthly flavor contrasting with vaguely metallic touches. They also describe flavors of coffee, various fruits, spices, such as cinnamon, green pepper and chocolate.

The grapes originated fro Bordeaux and should be known as Merlot Noir, since there is also a Merlot Blanc. The Merlot variety entered Chile in the 19th century. For many years it was considered a “milder” Cabernet Sauvignon. Only from the 1980’s onward has its extraordinary value as a full autonomous variety been recognized, which explains it’s boom with 12,946 hectares now planted in Chile.

Its aroma is considerably less intense than that of Cabernet Sauvignon, with plant aromas such as beetroot being the most obvious and other unusual ones, such as damp earth; several suggesting various flowers and others of animal origin. They are not persistent over time and are slightly attenuated.

In the mouth these wines are round, rich in alcohol, with low acidity and mild tannins. Their flavor offers a wide range in which sweet honey tones and fruits like plums, blackberries, cherries, red berries and cassis may be discovered, together with dried fruits, menthol, capsicum and chocolate.

This variety comes from South-Western France where it is know as Côt Rouge. When introduced in the Gironde, it was renamed Malbec. Only 945 hectares of Malbec grapes are planted in Chile.

Giving it the proper treatment, it can produce interesting, intense aromas and flavors, which are precisely what led it to being marketed as a varietal, instead of merely a compulsory complement to Cabernet Sauvignon. Its aroma typically includes red fruits, cherries, plums and chocolate. Aromas of cherry brandy, blueberries, pepper and cinnamon have also been described.

The predominant descriptions of flavors are of ripe fruit, blackberries, raspberries and chocolate. There are also sweet caramel tones.

There is no definitive opinion as regards to its origin, but it has been grown since Roman times in the northern part of the Côtes du Rhône Valley and in Dauphine when planting was first authorized in Gaul. Some people believe it came from the village of Shiraz in Persia and Syracuse in Sicily has also been suggested as a possible source, which would explain some of the synonyms, such as Shiraz (in Australia), Siraz and Syrah, which is the name most commonly used in Chile.

In Chile it may be said that it was reintroduced comparatively recently. Since it is a very rustic, highly vigorous grape variety, which flourishes in temperate to hot climates, there are already 2,007 hectares under vine, distributed from the Limari Valley at the North and the Maule Valley at the South. It concentrates primarily in the Colchagua Valley with over 670 hectares planted with it.

Its characteristic aroma is reminiscent of ripe red fruits and dried fruit such as almonds, olives and pleasant spices like cinnamon. Chocolate aromas have also been described.

Some tasters emphasize its intense chocolate flavor; in fact some even mention “chocolate liqueurs”. There are also flavors of ripe fruit, especially cherries and blackberry jam. There are sometimes hints of coffee and some mention “toffee” flavors. There are tannic, non-acidic notes in the flavor, with good body and persistence. These are wines that can be aged over a long period.

The origin of this white variety is found in French Burgundy. Some people place it in the Macon area where there is a village called, precisely, Chardonnay.

With the passing of time it has spread to all parts of France and subsequently to other wine-producing countries. The use of the name Chardonnay has definitely been adopted, but it was also formerly known as Pinot Blanc, Morillon Blanc, Weiss Silber (in Alsace) and other names.

In Chile, although it arrived in the 19th century, it was only “rediscovered” in the 1980’s, when thermo-controlled must fermentation came into use.

This grape variety promises wines that typically marry well with fine wooden casks, so the musts are sometimes fermented in barrels of American or French oak, in order to obtain complex wines. There is another less common trend to ferment and age them without any contact with wood to produce true varietals.

As regards aroma, generally the most noticeable are those resembling peach, banana and other fruits such as pineapple, figs and papaya. On the palate there are citric touches, notes of caramel, toffee and vanilla and another series of variants, especially in those that have been in contact with noble wood.

At present Chile possesses the respectable total of 7,786 hectares planted with this grape variety. These are mainly concentrated in the Casablanca Valley where there are 1,861 hectares, a positive fact because the vine gives of its best in cooler climates. However, it should be mentioned that it is grown in almost all the wine-producing areas of the country.

This variety may have originated in central or southwestern France. In other parts of the world it is also known as Fumé Blanc, Sauvignon Sylvaner in Germany.

With regard to the presence of this variety in Chile, it should be made clear that, in fact, until a short time ago, the predominant strain was the Sauvignon Vert, also known as Tocai friulano. The mistake was discovered in the 1970’s and , since then new vineyards have been planted with the genuine Sauvignon Blanc, with plants brought from France and California.

Sauvignon Blanc only began to find expression with its true potential in Chile at the beginning of the 1980’s, when genuine Sauvignon Blanc began to be planted, without mixtures with Semillon, and at the same time, thermo-controlled fermentation procedures began to be used, determinating factors in obtaining highly positive results. In Chile it is also found in almost all the wine-producing regions. The total area covered by this grape variety adds up to 6,944 hectares.

With a correct vinification process the resulting wines have aromas reminiscent of lemon peel, grapefruit, fresh herbs and other herbal tastes. All these aromas are expressed with great intensity.

On tasting, distinctive citric flavors predominate, in other words, lemon, orange or grapefruit. Other tastes of herbs and fruit are also described, including apples and quinces. There are also obvious pepper and hazelnut flavors.

It is thought this variety came from originally from the Bordeaux region of Sauternes, in France. It is a variety found throughout the wine-producing world and has also been called Saint Emillon, Semillon Roux and other names.

For many years it was the fundamental basis for the production of white wines in Chile, covering more than 20,000 hectares. At the present time it is going through a period of acute contraction, with plantations being up-rooted and a lack of new plantings. At present it totals only 2,103 hectares.

It ripens later than other white varieties grown in Chile, such as Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay.

Recently there has been a kind of “rediscovery” in assemblages with Sauvignon Vert and Chardonnay, and some good examples of pure varietals. It has also been shown to be an excellent choice for making the wines known as “Late Harvest”.

It produces less intense aromas than most fine white grape varieties. If vinification takes place at the appropriate stage of ripeness it produces very pleasant notes of citrus fruits and honey. Aromas of pepper and green grass can also be detected.

Semillon offers a wide range of fine herbal flavors on the palate; there are also flavors of quince, honey, butter, figs and cherries, and a wide variety of floral flowers.